Media handling of the Joe matter

Joe Reinagel, following his arrest on charges that included public intoxication and disorderly conduct early Monday, won’t be anchoring KENS’ sportscasts tonight.

Weekend sportscaster Bob Ballou will handle those duties in Reinagel’s absence. It hasn’t been determined, said news director Kurt Davis, whether Reinagel will be delivering the sports Tuesday.

Davis called the police matter a personnel issue and said he couldn’t comment further. The Express-News ran a story about the arrest. KENS also aired a story Monday on Reinagel, who normally handles the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. sportscasts. The piece, which appeared toward the top of today’s 5 p.m. newscast, showed Reinagel in handcuffs in front of a magistrate judge.

Reinagel’s arrest happened after he went to the hospital to check on his wife, Joy, who earlier had landed in police custody Sunday night after she was stopped for allegedly speeding.

Joy, a former police officer, now does PR involving visiting celebrities such as Mario Lopez, Eva Longoria and Pilar Lastra of “Deal or No Deal.” She told me she had been attending a charity Oscar event Sunday night at the Palladium IMAX theater. She said several KENS and radio personalities also attended the event.

Joy said she didn’t remember speeding but was fighting a bad migraine while driving home. She added that she has a medical condition that affects her balance and hearing. Once in the police car, she said, she complained of breathing trouble and the officer took her to Methodist Hospital.

After husband Joe arrived, police said the sportscaster became belligerent and showed signs of intoxication. He was arrested on charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct/abusive language — Class C misdemeanors — and has a court date in March. Joy returned home Monday afternoon after spending part of the day at the police station.

She said she had “a horrible day” and that she was upset by media coverage, which she described as “being blown out of proportion.”